When Michael Phelps makes winning Olympic medals seem ridiculously simple, it ?might appear odd to write about a man who won a single medal way back in 2008 in Beijing Olympics. But for Indian sports fans who are unlikely to come across a homegrown ?Phelps in the foreseeable future, Abhinav Bindra represents the best we have.
BCCL
The only Indian to win an individual gold in Olympics has bid farewell to the sport. His sport, 10 meter air rifle shooting, is difficult to understand. It is not a spectator-friendly event like football, for instance. It does not produce the thrill which accompanies an Usain Bolt performance in sprints. But the level of preparation and passion are no less.
Bindra had advantages that some enormously talented Indian athletes did not have. For instance, economic support from his family in a sport run by the usual inept sports bureaucracy was an invaluable advantage.
BCCL
Look beyond the support which came from his family. What Bindra brought to the table was a relentless desire which would not wilt in the face of any obstacle. Perhaps, that lesson is Bindra¡¯s greatest contribution other than the gold medal.
He showed that champions need not be born. They can be made by the dint of of hard work. Of course, that does not preclude the role played by luck and related factors. But Bindra showed that an extraordinary work ethic complemented by a single-minded obsession could deliver.
Also Read:?For Abhinav Bindra, It Is Now A Jouney Without A Gun In Hand
For sports fans who want to get an overview of the sweat, toil and determination which underpinned Bindra¡¯s quest, a good place would be his own description three years ago at the GoSport Foundation Athletes¡¯ Conclave.
BCCL
In that speech, there was one segment which seemed to capture the essence of the man.
¡°I have always been a diligent student. No detail is too small to interest me. I want to know everything about everything that has to do with shooting. Even today, when I do know a few things, I keep looking for new things to learn to get better ¨C always better. I may never be perfect. That¡¯s okay. But I can always be better than I was yesterday.¡±
That is what goes into making an Olympic champion and perhaps India¡¯s best sportsperson.